Why Shazam! Wrath of the Gods failed commercially 2023
Shazam 2 has grossed less than Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, the Marvel threequel’s lowest-grossing film. The sequel had one of DC’s worst starts, and its second weekend even worse.
With Shazam! Wrath of the Gods flopped.
After Batman v Superman (69%) and The Suicide Squad (71%), the DC sequel had the third-worst week-on-week dip (68%). The Suicide Squad was on HBO Max while Batman v Superman was falling from a higher premiere.
Why Shazam! Fury of the Gods tanking? Investigate.
Shazam 2 sales explained
Current numbers first. After two weekends, Shazam! Fury of the Gods earned $102.4 million, $46.3 million in the US and $56.1 million internationally, where it was released in most major regions except France.
It reached $100 million but won’t reach $200 million. John Wick 4’s record opening outperformed its $9.7 million second weekend in the US. It’ll surpass Shazam! $53.5 million opening weekend, likely $60 million.
Shazam 2 is the lowest-grossing DC Extended Universe film after Wonder Woman 1984 ($166.4 million) and The Suicide Squad ($167.1 million). If its second weekend dip is indicative, it may not surpass those movies.
Its critical reception explains its box-office failure. The sequel’s 51% Rotten Tomatoes rating is lower than the previous film’s 90%, but it’s still better than Suicide Squad’s 26%.
Rachel Zegler, Zachary Levi, and director David F. Sandberg have been praising the film, citing its 87% audience score.
The crowd hasn’t turned up. Shazam enthusiasts may have attended opening weekend, but the drop-off shows they didn’t return, and the poor reviews may have deterred blockbuster fans and casual comic-book movie viewers.
DC movies are no longer instantaneously available on HBO Max, but consumers now know they don’t have to wait as long. Shazam 2 may be available at home by mid-April, a month after release, so many viewers will be willing to wait.
A Shazam sequel may have had no fans to begin with. Though fantastic, the first film made $363.6 million at the box office, placing it low on DC’s list. (Black Adam earned $391.3 million.)
The sequel’s poor critical reception didn’t help. Warner Bros. realized something had to be done when Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman, the sequel’s major DC appearance, was spoiled in a TV promo.
Wonder Woman didn’t help, and even if the sequel avoids being the lowest-grossing DC Extended Universe film, Shazam 3 seems improbable.
DC supporters may argue that was inevitable. Does this matter? ‘ before the sequel’s debut, given James Gunn and Peter Safran’s new DC period.
It’s a soft relaunch, although they might bring back characters (save Henry Cavill’s Superman). If Shazam 2 had done better, Zachary Levi may return in a third film or as a cameo.
This DC alteration may have influenced the sequel, although we don’t believe so. DC fans nevertheless supported Joker ($1.07 billion) and The Batman ($767.5 million), which were completely unrelated to the regular DC storyline.
Ant-Man 3 launched the MCU but underperformed at $464.8 million. Shazam 2 would have loved to disappoint at such levels.
Fans just want a good movie, regardless of how it affects a franchise’s future. The simplest solution is usually the best.
If The Flash or Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom fare as poorly as Shazam 2 at the box office, we can reassess if the DC tweaks hurt it.
For now, the DC sequel’s box office failure is largely due to its inability to convince people to disregard the naysayers and show up.
